Tale As Old As Time
by jaybunzy0
Summary: Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.
1. Promise

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N: This plot bunny just wouldn't go away! I blame ABC Family and their need to show Beauty & the Beast a million times during 25 Days of Christmas. Anyways… here's the first chapter (or only chapter…). I still have a Harmony fic to finish, a Delena fic that just started, and Char's Christmas present. Talk about going overboard! *sigh* So, yeah, let me know what you think!**

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><p><em>Once upon a time, a young man lived in a beautiful mansion. Although he had everything his heart desired, the man was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the mansion and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the man sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The man tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment, she placed a powerful spell upon him and transformed him into a vampire and froze his servants in time. Ashamed of his monstrous form, he lashed out upon the world and all of those he came into contact with. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 150th year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a monster for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?<em>

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><p>Elena Gilbert exited the town library of Mystic Falls with her head in a book. It was one of her favorites and the librarian had been nice enough to let her keep it since most of the wear done to it had been done solely by her. Mystic Falls had been bustling with excitement of the upcoming Founder's Day. Banners had been placed all around town and townspeople were busy creating floats, deserts, and inventions for the upcoming event. Her father, John, was working on a marvelous invention for months now; not that he would tell her exactly what it did.<p>

"Elena!" a voice called, causing her to lift her head and see Caroline Forbes racing towards her.

A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "Hi, Caroline."

"Are you all signed up for Miss Mystic Falls? Deadline is tomorrow."

"I signed up yesterday," Elena answered as her smile faltered. The memories of her mother and her planning for the event passed through her mind; as well as, the thought that her mother wouldn't be able to be there with her. Four months prior, her mother had died in a car crash that had altered her life forever. No longer did she party with her friends but instead chose most night to spend writing on her computer. Her father was no longer part of the council because he spent most of his time building inventions to better the town. Signing up for an event that had been mainly her mother's idea was not something that she had wanted but ultimately she chose to do it in memoriam. If nothing else, her mother could at least look down on her and be proud that she had gone through with it.

Caroline nudged her shoulder, breaking off her thoughts. "Great! We'll have to see who wins this time around."

"Yes, we will," Elena replied, not in the mood for Caroline's usual competition. "I've got to head home. I'll see you around."

"Bye!" Caroline called as Elena turned away.

She climbed into her Ford Escape and drove to her house near the edge of town. The drive was short and it wasn't long until she was parked in front of the familiar white house that held so many memories. The black shutters that her mother and father had painted while Elena and her friend practiced cheerleading on the front lawn. The swing on the front porch where she had her first kiss with Matt Donovan and then afterwards ran to her mother to tell her the entire story. Her mother had listened intently even though Elena's voice had reached octaves even she didn't know she had. The fact was the house held so many memories of her mother that it was both a place of solace and a constant reminder of something she had lost and would never have again.

With a breath, she exited the car and climbed the pathway and stairs, opening the front door to the smell of dinner cooking. Her father's voice rang out to her. "Elena? Is that you?"

"Yes, Dad," she answered. "How was work today?"

Her feet took her to the kitchen where her father was working determinedly over the stove. He had let beard grow out and his hair was a huge haystack upon his head. Elena shook her head at the sight of his mismatched clothes and his jumpy attitude as he worked the kitchen. When he finally looked up at her, a smile glinted across his face. "Finally finished! I have to bring it upstate to have it checked out but other than that we're all set for Founder's Day."

"When do you leave?" Elena questioned. She was used to her father's road trips by now.

"Tomorrow."

Elena nodded and went to work setting the table. "I'll help you pack after dinner."

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><p>Her father hadn't called her in days, which was very unlike him. Usually, he called her throughout his day to keep her up to date with his coming and goings. Frantically, she paced around the house calling his contacts upstate only to find out he had yet to get there. This only served to get her more worried and concerned and within moment she had ran for the car, putting it in drive and speeding towards the highway in search of his sedan.<p>

She drove for miles, searching for his car only to find it near an exit sign. Elena hopped out and searched the car for any sign of wear he could have gone only to notice that the car was out of gas. Hopping back into her car, she turned off the exit and drove down narrow paths until she came upon the first building. It was a large rustic looking house off a dirt pathway. It's ground had not been well kept because shrubbery and grass grew haphazardly. Having no other choice, she turned onto the dirt road and onto the gravel of the circular driveway.

Quickly, she put her car in park and hopped out of her car. As soon as she reached the doorway she knocked on the door, finding it opening at her touch. "Hello?" she called into the darkness. "Is anybody home?"

Silence answered her and reluctantly she stepped into the massive house. She wasn't sure what was drawing her to this place but it was as if a tether was pulling her further into its unknown depths. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her phone and created a makeshift flashlight. With careful steps she maneuvered through the house and down a staircase.

Once more she called into the darkness. And this time she was rewarded with an answer. "Elena?" a familiar voice called. Elena followed it to what appeared to be a dungeon. There between the viewing bars she found her father. Blood trickled down an open wound in his neck and his skin was ashen and cover in sweat.

"Dad? Oh my God! Are you okay? What happened to you?" Elena attempted to open the latch, finding herself unable to. She looked around her searching for a ring of keys; anything to free her father.

"Elena, listen to me," her father pleaded. "You need to get out of here. Don't worry about me. Save yourself."

Shaking her head, she answered. "No! I won't lose you too. I'll get you out of here."

Suddenly, Elena felt something quickly move behind her. She turned around only to find nothing but a vacant wall. Chills crept over her skin as fear began to fill up inside her. But this fear would go unnoticed; she had more important things to worry about: like finding that damned key.

It was then that cold hands made contact with her body, pushing her down the hallway and further away from her father. Her call phone scattered away from her and the only light was a flickering overhead that went above her.

"What are you doing here?" a velvet voice growled in the darkness.

Elena looked around her only to find the outline of the figure standing in front of her. Squinting her eyes she asked, "Who's there?"

"The Master of this household," he answered, unmoving.

She moved to a seated position and crouched against the wall nearest her. "I'm here for my father. What have you done to him?"

The voice chuckled, his body shaking with the action. "He trespassed onto the wrong house."

It was then that she stood, squaring her shoulder and firmly planting her feet onto the concrete floor. "But he could die. And I can't…" her voice faded. Taking a deep gulp, she continued, "Just, please, I'll do anything."

The silhouette disappeared and Elena felt movement behind her before he once again appeared before her. She still couldn't make out his features only the leanness of his body and the lithe way he moved. His head shook, sending locks of hair about him. "There is nothing you can do. He's my prisoner… for a while."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say I wouldn't set a place for dinner any longer."

Elena shook her head, water filling up her eyes. She wouldn't lose another parent; she couldn't. Her eyes drifted towards the door that her father was behind. Through the rails she could make out his fingers. His gargled cough echoed through the room. It was then that the idea came to her: the very thing that could save her father. She stepped into the light, revealing herself to the creature. Squaring her shoulders, and keeping her eyes trained in front of her, she whispered, "Take me instead."

"Elena, no!" Her father yelled. "You don't know what you're doing! What he's capable of!"

"Silence!" the creature demanded. "You would trade places with him and stay with me?"

"If I did," she stated, "would you let him go?"

The creature paused before his deep voice filled the room again. "If I had your word that you would stay here for eternity."

For a moment, she hesitated. With this promise she was signing her life away. There would be no dances, no boyfriends, no life. For the rest of her life she would be trapped her with this unknown creature. That was when she heard her father's wheezing breath and knew this was something she had to do. "You have my word."

"No, Elena! I won't let you do this!" her father screamed.

"Then it's settled," the creature called as he stepped into the light. Elena took in the hauntingly features of his face. His incisors were elongated to reveal bloody fangs that dripped with crimson blood. Under his black eyes were spider web veins that crept over the contour of his cheeks. Goosebumps pebbled her skin as he pulled free the latch and grabbed hold of her father. Her father clawed at the creature, trying to escape his grasp before their eyes met and he grew eerily still. "You will forget this entire thing happened. You will continue on your journey and when you return home you received a phone call from your daughter stating she was running away. You will not search for her. You will not remember this place. Your wounds were from an animal attack while searching for gas."

Her father blinked and before Elena could whisper words of goodbye, the creature vanished, taking her father with him. "Wait!" she called after them. After a long moment, she heard the tell-tale sound of a door slamming before the creature returned. By this time, furious tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up into the creature's eyes. "You didn't even let me say goodbye. I'm never going to see him again."

Uncaring, the creature simply turned towards the stairwell. "I'll show you to your bedroom."

"My room?" Elena questioned amidst her tears. "But I thought…"

The creature turned feral as he growled, "Do you want to stay here?"

"No."

His eyes rolled; the veins dissipating and his incisors slowly creeping up back into his gums. A bright blue color took place of the endless black. In this human state he almost looked attractive. Almost because the memory of his ferocity still was in main forefront of her mind. She followed him out of the dungeon, past the parlor room, and up a flight of stairs. Down an endless hallway of doors they travelled until he stopped by a pale yellow room. The room had a simple twin bed that was covered in grey paisley sheets and a white down comforter. There was an armoire and a desk that held a mirror.

Awkwardly, she stood in the doorway before she finally found the strength to step inside. It was definitely more comfortable than the dungeon but she couldn't forget that she wasn't here as a willing guest, she was being forced to stay here against her will. She wondered what the creature would do to her and why he had yet to hurt her the way he obviously had harmed her father.

The creature crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyeing her as she checked out the space. Eventually, she turned towards him and lifted her eyebrows in question.

"Comfortable enough?"

Elena nodded but her voice escaped her. She had nothing that she wanted to say to him and the adrenaline was beginning to seep its way out of her system causing her to feel the full weight of the nights emotional toll.

"I'll find you clothes in the morning but I've already had my servants supply you with something suitable enough for you to sleep in. My household is yours too now so you may go wherever you like, except the western wing on this floor."

Curiosity got the best of her, "What's in the west wing?"

"It's forbidden!" he growled. Elena's body froze with the menace of his voice. Seeing her fear, he stepped forward and stood over her. "You follow my rules and I don't see any reason why I should end your life."

In a broken voice she asked, "What's your name?"

"Damon," he answered as his mood shifted to one of indifference. He seemed to do that a lot, Elena noted. His moods were almost as unpredictable as his temper. A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth as he leaned closer towards her. "And I already know yours, _Elena_."

Her body shivered as his breath fanned over her face. With that statement, he turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. It was then that the tears began to come in full force and Elena found herself racing towards the bed and collapsing on top of it, her sobs being muffled by comforter. The only thought running through her mind was: What has she done?

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><p>Damon sat by the fire, its embers of light dancing across the wall. After he downed the contents of his tumbler, he threw the glass against it, letting his frustrations take over the surface of his face. He had no idea how to entertain a young woman in his home. Any women that he had encountered were used and quickly disposed of. He had no time for lasting relationships only the one thing that needed: their blood.<p>

"Should I get Bonnie to bring her up some tea?" a familiar voice questioned from behind him.

He turned to see his nephew, Stefan, approach. Waving a hand, he stated, "Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

"You have no idea what to do with her, do you?"

Instead of voicing his concerns, he merely shook his head as he lost himself in the flames elegant dance. It would be so easy to jump into the flames and end it all. He hadn't chosen this life but his arrogance had led him to this. Damon held out his hand and Stefan readied him another glass of bourbon. Once again he drank the amber liquid, letting the fire drift down his throat.

"Just be yourself… only nicer," Stefan laughed.

Damon uttered a growl. "She just seemed so miserable."

"The girl did lose her father and her freedom all in one day. Give her some time," Stefan reasoned. Quiet moments passed between them before he spoke again. This time his voice was hopefully yet hesitant as he asked, "Have you thought that this girl may be the very one to break the spell?"

"Of course I have. I'm no fool!" Damon yelled. Then a loaded sigh escaped him. "It's no use. She's so beautiful and the way she looked at me when I…" he paused. "She could never love a monster."

Stefan approached his uncle. "You must help her to see past all that. Past the monster thirsting for blood. Help her see your humanity."

Damon removed the ring from his finger, the ring that allowed him to walk in the day, and twirled it between his fingers. "I'm not even sure that exists anymore," he whispered as the hope dwindled from his voice. Before this wretched curse he had been many things: arrogant, vain, selfish, and unkind. But, he had never been a killer, a monster. In fact, he had left a war because he could stand to kill innocent men despite their differing viewpoints on how the South was to be run. Now he was forced to become the very thing he hated.

_If he hated himself, how could he ever expect her to love him?_


	2. An Understanding

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N: And 7 months later... Sorry for the delay in updating but I did warn you. I got the sudden urge to update this today and I just had to share it with you. You can blame one of my friends posting a Beauty & the Beast/Damon & Elena video for the drive to write. Enjoy! There's a lot of B&tB and TVD 1x11 lines in this because I just couldn't help myself. Enjoy! Read and review! xx**

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><p>Cautiously, Elena pulled open the door and looked down the darkened hallway. Wary of her footsteps she made her way out of the room that had been her shelter for several hours. Her eyes were puffy from her tears and she was positive streaks of mascara had made their way down her cheeks. As she walked, she wiped under her eyes hoping to rid her face of its streaks. Her rumbling stomach had been the only thing that forced her out of the room.<p>

She made her way down the large staircase, her tiny footsteps echoing through the room. As Elena stepped off the last step, her gaze looked around her, searching for a possible kitchen. Light seeped from one of the closed doors and she stepped towards them, opening the door to reveal a spacious kitchen filled with servants.

Upon her entrance, all heads turned on her. A young man approached her and bowed slightly. "Hello, Miss. The names Stefan. Is there anything we can help you with?"

"I am kind of hungry," she stated before slipping her lip between her teeth.

Stefan clasped together. "And that is what we do. Follow me."

Elena watched as Stefan went to make it his way out of the kitchen and she reached out to stop him. "If it's alright with you. I'd like to eat here. I'll feel lonely if I'm out in what I'm assuming is a large dining hall."

His face softened and he pulled out a stool for her. "That's fine, Miss."

"Please, call me Elena."

"Elena," Stefan nodded with a smile. His back turned to her as he went about making her dinner. Various servants and cooks bustled about, cleaning and cooking as they sought fit. Elena lost herself in their ministrations, unwilling to let her mind wander through today's events. At least she had got out of attending Miss Mystic Falls. Sadness filled her being. A part of her, deep down, had wanted to run for the event even if it came with such saddened memories.

Thankfully, before she could dwell further, Stefan placed a plate in front of her filled with the most delicious of foods. She wasted no time in diving in—she was starved after all. The food helped quell some of the emptiness within her but by the time her plate was done a new hole had formed, this time in her heart. Elena had saved her father life but was it worth the price of never seeing him again, never having a life of her own will again? It had to be because she couldn't take the idea of another dead parent.

Her eyes drifted upwards as Stefan removed the plate and placed it in a nearby sink for one of the servants to clean. Curiosity got the best of her and she questioned, "How come he didn't hurt me like my father?"

The kitchen became eerily silent as all movement and quiet chit-chat halted to a stop. Stefan walked over to her side of the table and sat beside her, eyeing the people around them to continue about their business. When he turned towards her his eyes were filled with understanding. "I suggest that you don't question it and instead be grateful that he didn't."

Elena nodded. She had figured she wouldn't get much of an answer from Damon's staff. "So, I've never been in a place this big before. Is there any way I could get a tour?"

Stefan nodded, grateful for the change in subject. "Of course." He gestured around the room. "This is the kitchen."

Letting out a brief laugh, Elena smiled for what felt like the first time in ages. "No kidding?"

"Really," Stefan smiled. He stood up and helped Elena out of her seat. "And if you'll follow me I'll show you the rest of the boarding house."

"Oh, so that's what this place is."

"It used to be. Back in the mid 1800's when the Salvatore's came to Mystic Falls from Italy. After the Civil War it became more of a massive home for its dwellers."

Elena nudged his shoulder, looking around at the tapestries. "You're quite the history buff."

"We're just getting started."

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><p>Hours later, they had just wound up by the staircase leading towards Elena's floor. Stefan was going on about the history surrounding some of the paintings when Elena quietly made her way up. She was curious about this forbidden wing that she wasn't privy to. Once she was sure Stefan was unaware of her absence, she hastened her steps and made her way down the corridor. It was much darker than the rest, with broken mirrors and ripped portrait canvases. Wall paper hung at unnatural angles and random knickknacks were strewn all over the carpet.<p>

At the very end of the hallways she took notice of a glowing light coming from one of the adjacent large wooden doors. She felt that familiar tugging feeling, pulling her towards it and soon she was pushing open the door that gave way to what could only be described as a bedroom. Even in this state of disarray, Elena could tell that it had once been a master suite. The large bed was situated against a wall with its broken posters and ripped sheets. Shards of glass covered the floor and Elena was careful not to prick her feet against them. It was then that she noticed it: there in the center of the room, glowing in the moonlight entering from the floor to ceiling windows was a single rose hovering inside its glass prison.

The delicate flower was trapped and Elena couldn't help but walk over and lift the glass and let the magical flower breathe.

She admired it lovingly and found one of her hands reaching out to touch it. It was remarkable how it just seemed to hover there with just magic. H finger reached out to touch it and she pricked the tip of it on a thorn. Just as she went to pull back and survey the small trickle of blood oozing from the wound, darkness covered her and her eyes drifted up to the feral face of Damon.

In a flash he stood in front of her, effectively blocking her from the magical rose and quickly covered it in its glass prison once again. He turned towards her his eyes intent on hers until he took an intake of breath. The moment the air filled his nostrils his sights turned south on the small drop of blood currently on the utmost tip of her finger.

"I-I'm sorry," Elena muttered, unaware of the current internal dilemma warring within in the monster in front of her.

"Why did you come here?" Damon growled through clenched teeth. "I warned you to never step foot in here. You deliberately disobeyed me."

"I didn't mean any harm," she reasoned, backing away as Damon stepped closer and closer. His eyes never veered from her wound.

"Do you realize what you could've done?" He screamed, throwing a stack of books off a table with a swipe of his arm. They slammed against the wall across the room as his fist slammed down on the table, splitting it in half. Elena cowered in fear at his strength and the veins protruding from underneath his once bright blue eyes. The darkness was taking over.

"Stop!" she screamed as she trapped herself against a wall. He could kill her any minute, second even.

Damon's eyes were fully black now and his fangs had protruded out. "Get out!" he screamed, his fist denting through a wall. "Get out!"

Elena turned and ran as the monster behind her began to thrash about his room. He had given her freedom and now all she had to do was escape before he thought better of it. She quickly pounded down the stairways and towards the front door only to come face to face with Stefan.

"Where are you going?" he questioned in urgency.

"It doesn't matter what I promised," she got out as she pulled open the door. "I can't stay here another moment!"

"Wait! Please! Please!" Stefan called out before she shut the door behind her effectively cutting herself from the monster inside. She raced towards her car, getting it started within seconds and drove away from the place filled with nightmares. Her tires screeched against the pavement as she wondered down the vacant, darkened road in search for the highway. She needed to put as much distance between her and the boarding house as she could.

It was then as her eyes shifted in search of a sign that she caught sight of a wolf in the middle of the road. In fear of hurting the animal she swerved off the road causing her car to hit a guardrail and tumble down the road. Her head banged against the window beside her and the dashboard in front of her until the car finally came to a stop. With a gasp she felt around to find a way out of this mess. That was until she heard the growling.

Most wolves had gathered since the accident and all of them were intent on her. Elena screamed as she fumbled with her seatbelt, trying to escape the danger she had found herself in but it was no use. She was stuck. Tears began to form in her eyes, her heart began to race. There was nothing she could do. In a matter of minutes she would be dead, torn apart by wolves.

Just as they were inches from her car Damon appeared and all-out war began. She didn't know which side would be better but at the rate her was going to save her, she put her faith on the monster. At a rare moment of impasse, Damon stood in front of her upside down car and stared at the wolves. In a taunting voice, he whispered, "Here doggy-doggy."

And one lunged at him. The fight began again as Damon plunged into the animals chests and they clawed at his skin. A wolf even bit into the thin flesh at Damon's neck and he screamed into the night. Elena could do nothing but sit—or rather hang— there in fear. When it came down to Damon and just a handful of wolves, he grabbed the biggest one and pulled out its heart causing the rest to retreat in fear. At last the fight was over. Damon turned towards her and quietly made his way until he knelt beside her window.

The tears were spilling over in full force now.

"How you doing in there?"

Elena sighed. "Damon…." She meant to apologize for invading his space, for getting him into all this trouble but he cut off with an observation.

"You're stuck."

Through her sobs, she pointed out, "It's my seatbelt."

Damon stood and pulled the door off the car and threw it behind him with ease. He then knelt beside her again and ordered her to put her in hands on the roof. Ignoring her stiff muscles she did and Damon quickly ripped the seatbelt free from her body and caught her with ease. With the gentleness unknown to him he picked her up in his arms and stepped away from the vehicle.

"Can you stand? Is anything broken?" he questioned.

Elena shook her head with a groan. Everything hurt but she was pretty certain there were no broken bones. Her body just ached and in the fallout of all her adrenaline disappearing from her body all that was left was tired, sored, scared girl. Damon tried to put her on her feet but her knees buckled instantly and she was once again gripped by her savior's arms.

"Whoa! You're fading fast, Elena." He held her tight with one arm as his other went to his mouth. Elena caught brief sight of the spider web veins before she heard the tell-tale sound of teeth biting through flesh. The smell of blood hit her senses before Damon thrust his bleeding wrist to her mouth. The copper taste hit her tongue and she tried to fight against it but with Damon's quiet urges, she gave in. There was something else to the taste, something akin to holiday cookies and chocolate cake. She began to swallow greedily, already feeling her body stir to life.

When he pulled away, he gently cleaned up her lip with the pad of his thumb.

"Elena, look at me." Her lidded eyes opened. "Focus." She met his eyes and couldn't help but look away. "I'm gonna bring you back home, okay? You've lost a lot of blood so you might get dizzy. Just stay tucked into me, okay?"

She nodded. His thumb went to rest on her bottom lip as he assessed her face. The color was coming back and she was beginning to get strength back to her legs. Elena's eyes drifted to the nape of his neck where the wolf had bit him. "You're hurt."

"I'll heal," Damon promised. He lifted her up in his arms with an "upsy-daisy" and Elena tucked her head into Damon's leather jacket. She felt herself being moved at a fast speed but focused on the bourbon coated leather smell that emitted from Damon. Then before she could complain about the lightheadedness, they were stopped. Elena removed herself from Damon's nook and found herself in the parlor. With ease, he lay her upon the couch and wordlessly walked over to one of the bookshelves.

Elena had never noticed the vast amount of books that covered the house. Then again, she had been too focused on snooping and finding an escape to notice. She looked on as Damon opened one of the books and pulled free and crystal bottle that was filled with a crimson liquid. Feeling her strength come back to her she stood and walked over to him. He stared down at her still holding the vial in his hands.

"Can I?" she asked, gesturing to the wound on his neck.

Damon nodded and craned his neck as Elena lifted a hand to touch it. At the touch of her finger he pulled back and growled. "That hurts! You don't see me poking at your wounds."

"That's because I don't have any…" she mumbled.

"Yeah, because I saved you!" He gestured to his neck. "And this would've never happened if you hadn't run away!"

"If you hadn't frightened me I wouldn't have run away!"

Damon uncapped the vial and took a sip of its contents. "You shouldn't have been in the west wing."

"And you should learn to control your temper!" Elena crossed her arms, staring down the man before her.

Shaking his head in defiance, Damon returned the vial back in its rightful place. Silence passed between them as Damon walked over to his decanter and poured himself a drink.

"What was that anyway?" Elena asked curiously.

With a sigh, Damon answered. "It's blood from an ancient vampire. It's the only cure for a werewolf bite."

"Those were werewolves?" Elena gasped.

Damon nodded, taking a sip of his bourbon. "Normal wolves don't set up an accident for dinner time. They hunt and kill without human logic… or a vampire's."

In the silence that passed, Elena recounted everything that had happened tonight. Even though the monster before her was unpredictable, he had risked his life to save her. If she had any hope of some kind of peace for the next eternity she would have to hand over the olive branch. In a quiet voice, she uttered, "Thank you, Damon." She saw him pause in his sip. "For saving my life."

He looked towards her with curiosity and a newfound fondness before replying, "You're welcome."

"Damon?"

"Yes, Elena?"

She cleared her throat. "There's a pageant next week in my hometown—"

"Miss Mystic Falls."

"Uh, yes," Elena said, taken aback. "Well, I signed up for it and I was just wondering if I could go."

"Are you asking me on a date? Because, while I'm flattered, I'm a little old for you and it might get in the way of the whole master/prisoner relationship."

A blushed flamed Elena's cheeks. "No," she laughed.

"We'll discuss it later," Damon smiled. "For now let's just make sure you get used to the highlights of living her so you don't run away again."

Elena nodded already feeling her fear of the monster inside Damon lesson. They had reached an understanding tonight and that had made an impact. She only wondered if it was enough to last.


	3. Trust

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N: 3 months later... See! I'm doing better! You'll be happy to hear that this fic has been moved to top priority and is no longer on hiatus. Unless something comes up it will be updated regularly which for me usually means weekly. And now without further ado, I give you the third update to TAOAT…**

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><p>Damon peered out the window of his bedroom as he towel dried his hair. He had just returned from a trip into town and a morning feeding and the quick wash in the shower had been a must. He smelled of earth and the woman's overbearing perfume and the last thing he wanted was Elena to smell another woman on him. Since he had saved her that one night from the woods their relationship had been slowly progressing. She questioned him about his long life and he asked her about the trifles of her human life. He taught her to cook exquisite Italian dishes and showed her the elaborate library that existed within his massive home. They had playful fights with pillows, water, and snow.<p>

It took some time, but he eventually trusted her enough to believe she wouldn't leave.

That was why his eyes followed her now as she walked among his neglected garden not with apprehension of her fleeing but with a clenching heart that gave way to just how strongly he was feeling towards the woman before him. Their relationship had been forced but that did not mean it had been rushed. It took time to sift through the many complexities that made Elena Gilbert who she was, and he wasn't exactly and open book either. They found many similarities in their stubbornness and the way they fought to protect those they loved. Eventually they reached a place full of brutal honesty and a realness that took most people years of built trust to achieve.

"Admiring the scenery?"

Damon turned around to find Stefan standing near his bed with a tray of food in his hands. With a roll of his eyes, he adjusted the towel around his waist and took a sip of the mimosa that was placed on the tray. "Stalking me much, nephew?"

"Just… observing," he replied, placing the tray on Damon's nightstand. Stefan walked towards the window and caught sight of Elena as she approached a bird that was resting upon a low branch of a tree. Her dark hair and navy jacket with gold clasps stood in vast contrast against the snow coloring the once green grass. She was hard to miss and that was why knew exactly what had captured his uncle's attention so raptly.

There was a long stretched silence as Damon disappeared into his bathroom to throw on a pair of dark jeans and a black V-neck shirt. When he reappeared, he approached the tray of food, picking up a piece of French toast and taking a greedy bite before returning to his place by the window. Elena now leaned against one of the large trees and surveyed the open grounds before they blended into the thicket that surrounded the boarding house.

"I've never felt this way before," Damon stated, honestly. "It's like I'm not in control; like I'm not… me."

"A girl will do that to a man."

Damon shook his head. "But I'm not a man. I'm a monster. A monster that doesn't deserve her. She belongs amongst the sun with someone… well, someone like you."

Stefan turned towards his uncle whose face was a mask of indifference. "I don't think you see yourself clearly, uncle. This is a curse not a lifestyle choice."

"But before the curse, the things I did, the man I was…" Damon sighed, fogging up the glass in a perfect circle. "I wasn't the kind of man worthy of Elena's affections."

"Why not let her be the judge of that?"

Damon groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "Listen to me. I sound like some Jane Austen novel."

"I was moments from whipping out the kissing song." Stefan laughed.

"You do and I'll pull a Nottingham and carve your insides out with a spoon."

Stefan held his hands up in surrender. "You won't hear a single verse from me."

As Damon continued to eat his food in relative silence, Stefan went about tidying up the bedroom. Elena was still out in the cold, her jacket wrapped tightly around her slender body as she stared out into the blinding snow. Damon couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking and whether or not she was truly happy here. He knew it would be asking too much to say that she would chose this over life with her father, but he at least hoped that she was enjoying herself.

He decided that he would have to do something for her. It was as he was mulling over ideas through his mind that an old conversation between them took priority. He knew the risk he was taking but it would be worth it once he saw the smile light up her face. With one last look out the window, Damon finished his food and stood, stopping Stefan in his cleanup.

"I want to do something for her. Can you help me?"

* * *

><p>"Close your eyes," Damon requested.<p>

Elena looked at him questioningly, her eyes narrowing and her lips puckering in disproval. After coming inside from her walk, Damon had pulled her aside and told her they were going into town. She fought to control the surprise in her eyes, but the mere fact that she would get to see something that wasn't the boarding house was enough to make her scream in excitement and drag him to the car. Somehow she remained calm enough let him lead her to his blue Camaro and only let herself smile for the briefest of seconds as he flashed to the other side. Elena was practically bouncing in her seat the entire drive to town up until Damon pulled to the side of the road just as the beginnings of civilization began to poke through the trees and demand she close her eyes.

"It's a surprise."

Begrudgingly she closed her eyes and let Damon wrap a scarf around her head. She could see movement through the fabric as Damon checked to make sure she couldn't see before the car started up again and they began speeding down the street. After a few minutes, the car came to a stop and she heard the car door open up before she heard the same sound beside her followed by the feel of Damon's hand taking her own.

"Can I open them?" she questioned.

Damon guided her along the sidewalk. "No. No. Not yet." She heard the sound of a bell jingling above them before they stopped moving. "Wait here."

There were muttered voices and Elena waited until there was silence again before speaking. "Now?"

"Yes. Now, little Miss Impatient."

With an expel of breath at Damon's nickname, she loosened the scarf around her eyes and let it fall to her neck. Her eyes grew wide with wonder as she took in the grandiose store she stood in that was filled with the most beautiful dresses Elena had ever laid her eyes on. Her hands ran over the various fabrics of lace and silk and chiffon. It was all too much for her to handle at once.

"What are we doing here?" she made out through a smile that was beginning to hurt her cheeks.

Damon smirked. "Pick one."

"Pick one? For what?"

He walked towards her, trespassing on her personal space in that way that made her want to run for the hills and inch closer all at once. "I believe you asked me if you could go to the Miss Mystic Falls dance the other day."

"You're letting me go?" Elena exclaimed, her smile opening wider.

"On one condition."

Elena moved forward, making them only inches apart. His breath fanned her face sending her into a haze and his eyes bore into hers making her want to lose herself in their depths. "Anything," she breathed without concern over what he could be asking her.

"I'll be escorting you."

"Y-You want to go with me?" Her heart began to beat wildly against her chest and she felt the blush warm her cheeks as she realized Damon could hear every thunderous beat.

He looked down at her, drinking her in as he spoke. "You're still my prisoner, Elena. I can't let you return home without making sure you won't run away. Plus, I'll have to deal with your father's compulsion."

"So, this isn't a d-date?"

Damon hesitated before masking his emotions and stating, "No." He stepped back, giving Elena the space she so desperately needed to regain control over her emotions. He gestured around the room. "Well?"

"Thank you, Damon. Thank you for this."

He waved her response away. "Don't worry about expenses. Just pick the dress of your wildest dreams."

"Really?"

At Damon's nod, she turned around and began browsing through the vast amount of dresses the store offered. Anything that stuck out, she threw on Damon's awaiting arm and by the time she had looked through everything, he had a stack that reached under his chin. He followed her into the dressing room and placed the dresses on the racks available before shutting the door behind him and telling her to "have at it".

After trying on dress after dress she finally put on a silk gown that touched the ground that had a bias cut and a flare silhouette. Around the bodice was micro-pleated chiffon that was held up by thin straps that crisscrossed in the back. It was a royal blue that looked exquisite against her olive skin and Elena had never felt more beautiful.

"I found the one I want," she called out.

"It's about time!" Damon groaned in exasperation. They had been here for hours. Elena chuckled and went to open the dressing room door to show Damon only to be stopped when it wouldn't open. "Save it for the dance, Elena."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go for shock value. Don't you know anything about pageants?"

"You do?" Elena joked.

"Watch it," Damon jested. "I'll go get the owner so she can put it in a garment bag and ring it up."

It was all handled in a blur and soon they were back on the road headed towards the boarding house. Damon carried the garment bag into Elena's room and placed it in the closet. Elena watched as he closed the door shut and turned towards her.

"Thank you so much, Damon. For letting me have this."

"I know it means a lot to you." He reached behind him to pull something from underneath his leather jacket. "There's one other thing." Damon handed her a green, leather bounded diary that held nothing but blank pages just waiting to be covered in ink.

Elena looked up at him with confusion. "What's this?"

"It's a place for you to get out anything you might be feeling. I know that by keeping you here I'm keeping you from friends and family and I don't want you to be holding everything inside and turning into some brooding, miserable person like I was."

Elena understood what he was saying. That he was keeping her hear not as a prisoner, not because he wanted to drink from her, but because he was lonely. In a house full of servants that were all stuck in time because of him, he had no one he could really relate to. Even though she had shown him kindness and understanding, their relationship to each other was still on shaky, uneven ground. No one in his life had chosen to be here, with him. By giving her a journal, he was making sure she would have an outlet so that she didn't hold everything inside. It was a place for her thoughts, a place where she could rant about the unfairness about being forced away from her life.

Little did he know she wasn't as miserable as he might have thought.

With a nod, Damon walked towards the door. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."

Elena watched him shut the door behind him and took a seat near the bay window that looked out at the forest below. She opened up the diary and poised a pen at its pages.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Diary,<em>

_Today was different. There is a change in him, a goodness. I can sense it. Maybe I can help him overcome his sadness and free us both from the sadness that keeps us from moving forward. There is something inside him that calls out to me and up until now I feared it. Trust breeds trust. Since he trusts me enough to take me to Miss Mystic Falls, I should trust him enough to open myself up to the possibilities living with him could bring. For the first time since coming here I look forward to the day. I look forward to seeing him._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I'm pretty sure it won't be as long as my others- after all, Beauty and the Beast wasn't that long of a movie to begin with. Hopefully, you all stick with me through Damon and Elena's parallel journey.**


	4. Freedom

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

* * *

><p>Elena found him with his back to her, mulling over some ancient texts. Usually she would just continue on her, not bothering to interrupt his research, but today was different. She felt the urge to pounce on him—and not in the sexual way (though there were times when that crossed her mind too). No. Damon was so often on alert that she could rarely scare him in the way he so often scared her. He would pop up in places she didn't expect him, tap her shoulder as she was buried in a book, he even started a snowball fight while she had been out walking.<p>

This would probably be her only opportunity and she had to take advantage of it.

With careful steps, she approached him and made sure to keep her breathing low. Just as she was mere inches from him, she screamed and firmly grabbed hold of his shoulders. Damon didn't even flinch. A pout on her face, Elena crossed her arms. "Really? Not even a little?"

"Nope. You're loud as hell. Try to walk a little lighter there Sasquatch."

"I was!"

Damon leaned in close, his eyebrows wiggling with amusement. "Word to the wise: Never sneak up on a vampire."

"Word to the wise," Elena teased back, "Don't call a pageant girl Sasquatch."

"Oh, stop. You know you look stunning."

Elena was taken aback. She froze in place, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, as she let Damon's words take hold. Never before had he complimented her, even appraised her in the way boys often did at school. "Uh, thank you."

Damon walked past her to return the book in his hands to its rightful place on the shelf. "Do they still do that barely-touch-each other waltz?"

"Yes," Elena answered, fiddling with her fingers.

With an arched brow, Damon looked towards her. "You're not nervous, are you?"

"Not at all. Those steps have been ingrained into my brain since childhood."

He shrugged. "Just checking."

"Do _you_ know the moves?" Elena challenged.

Damon laughed. "I've known them since before you were born. I was at the original Founder's Ball."

Elena's eyes were filled with excitement. "You were?!"

"Founding family." He shrugged.

"I just didn't… I never put it together. You weren't kidding. You really are old."

"And I'll still dance circles around you." He smiled at her.

Elena laughed. "We'll just see about that."

* * *

><p>"Tonight's the night!" Stefan chimed as he walked into Damon's bedroom. As he took in the chaos of the room with various tuxes and suits from different eras strewn about the floor, his face fell. "Hectic morning?"<p>

"What was I thinking?" Damon groaned, buttoning up his white shirt.

Stefan bent over and went about cleaning up the floor. "You were thinking that you want to get to know her more. That maybe she's the one that will break the curse."

As he slipped on a black jacket, Damon muttered, "I don't think I can do this. Having her in my arms, that close, I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself."

"Have you fed today?"

"Of course!" Damon all but growled. "And I was talking about that kind of control. I'm talking about the kind of control that stops me from pouring my heart out to her the way guys do in all those corny movies you watch."

Stefan blushed momentarily. "Then don't hold back. When the time is right, confess your love for the girl."

"Love?" Damon blanched. "I wouldn't call it love. She's only been here a few months. I'm not capable of…"

"Then what exactly would you call it, uncle? You care for her, don't you?"

Honesty poured from Damon's eyes. "More than anything."

Stefan walked forward and placed a hand on his uncle's shoulder. "Well, then you must tell her."

There was a knock at the door and Damon beckoned whomever inside. The door opened to give way to Bonnie, who curtsied and smiled at the men before her. "The lady awaits. And if I may say, sir, that suit looks dashing on you, Mr. Salvatore."

"Thank you, Bonnie." He took one last look at the mirror and sighed before squaring his shoulders and buttoning his jacket. "I suppose it's now or never."

"Best of luck," Stefan stated.

"We're all rooting for you," Bonnie added.

Damon gave them a rare smile. "Me too."

* * *

><p>The dressing room was packed with pageant girls as Elena entered. The room smelled of perfume and hairspray, mixed in with the roses that rested in vases. Without hesitation, she walked over to the grooming station that had her name. She put down all her things and went about preparing her curling iron and getting her makeup all out. As she waited for the curling iron to heat up, she placed her dress on the rack.<p>

"Elena!"

Elena turned to see Caroline racing towards her, already in her green dress and her hair pinned to the side. "Hi, Caroline!"

"Where have you been? Your father said you ran away! There have been all sorts of rumors going around saying that you were knocked up or worse!"

Nerves caused her palms to sweat. She had never been very good at lying. Thankfully, Damon had gone over their story in the car already promising that he had altered her father's memory so that he wouldn't cause a scene and try to take her back. With a calming breath, she spoke. "I just needed a little time to myself. I met a guy, fell in love, and moved in with him. I'm enjoying my freedom. I just couldn't stand missing the pageant after how much my mom wanted this for me."

She couldn't shake the feeling that her words didn't feel much like a lie anymore.

"Elena Gilbert! You're living in sin, shacked up with some stranger?!"

As Elena got ready, Caroline kept busy filling her in on all the towns' gossip and routinely questioning her about Damon. The time flew by and soon, Elena was all dressed in her blue dress with her hair set in curls and half of it pulled back with strategically placed royal blue flowers. Just as Caroline was about to launch into another line of questions, a council member walked in and called the girls to order.

One by one they lined up in order and proceeded into the hallway to stand near the top of the staircase. Below they could hear the crowd gathering as the gentle sounds of a piano played in the background. Mayor Lockwood took the microphone and began his opening speech about the history of the even and Elena could almost picture Damon smirking. Then the piano started up again and the girls were announced as they stepped down the stairs.

"Miss Elena Gilbert escorted by Damon Salvatore," the mayor called.

Elena took a deep breath and began to make her way down the steps. She wasn't ready for this. She could already hear the hushed whispers of the townspeople as they questioned her escort. Shaking it off, she placed a faux smile on her face and focused on the fact that Damon was there to meet her. It was only when she took in the clean lines of the suit that molded against his body that she didn't have to fake her smile any longer.

When she reached the bottom stair, Damon took her hand and they began to follow the other couples towards the backward. "They're talking about us. They know something's wrong," Elena whispered.

"No," Damon promised. "They're talking about how beautiful you look and how lucky you are to be on the arm of such a devastatingly handsome man."

As they stepped outside, Elena caught sight of her father next to her Aunt Jenna and her boyfriend, Alaric. She smiled brightly at the sight of her father, healthy and happy. It replaced the horrible images that had taken over her mind of him coughing up blood and ashen with sweat. He looked proud of her and not worried in the least. John waved off the comments of Jenna, and gestured to Elena mouthing something along the lines of "look how happy she is." It tugged on her heartstrings and nearly forced a tear to fall.

Damon and Elena took their place across from one another among the other four couples. The music began and they bowed. Together their hands rose and stopped just short of touching as they moved in a circle never once taking their eyes off one another. They repeated the step in the opposing direction just as Damon smirked at her in challenge. Elena couldn't help but let the small smile lift the corners of her mouth.

Both hands than raised and they walked the length of another circle before she let the music bring her into Damon's arms. There was a momentary sense of shock as she felt her body relax in his embrace and her eyes briefly travel down his body before meeting his own once again.

Elena was taken aback by the obvious connection between them, the way her eyes couldn't stray from his and how she didn't even need to think about the steps because she trusted Damon to move her. She found her heart expanding at the sight of his smile and rejoicing in the way the entire crowd seemed to disappear leaving just the two of them and the attraction that had never been so evident to Elena before. Seeing him like this, being so human, almost made her forget the monster he was and damage he had caused. For the first time since meeting Damon, she finally saw him for who he truly was.

As the finally chords of the song began to play, Elena found herself dreading the moment when she would have to let go and when it happened she felt the distance weigh down on her. What did all of this mean? Was she truly falling in love with her captor?

* * *

><p>"I missed you, too, Daddy," Elena whispered as she hugged her father.<p>

Her coat shielded her from the cold, harsh winds as she pulled back already feeling that traitorous tear make its way down her cheek. Her father noticed and reached his hand up to brush it away. "Don't worry. We'll see each other again."

"I know. It's just… hard."

John nodded. "I know but at least I know you're being taken care of." He looked over her shoulder towards where Damon stood. "He cares a great deal for you, 'Lena."

Elena smiled. "I love you. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"I love you, too. We'll talk soon! Now off you go!"

With one last hug, she turned away from her father, away from her town and normal life once again and marched towards the unknown, towards Damon. His mouth was set in a half smile as she approached and he held out his hand, silently asking her to take it. After a moment of silent debate, she took his hand and let her guide her down the driveway.

"Elena?"

"Yes, Damon?"

Damon didn't meet her eyes; instead he looked about the thicket that surrounded them. "Are you happy at the boarding house with me?"

Hesitantly, she responded, "Yes." Elena was shocked at her own answer; shocked that she had meant it. Before she could elaborate further, Damon stopped walking and came to a sudden halt. Elena looked around them finding nothing. "What is it, Damon?" Then suddenly, and without warning, Damon was struck with an arrow deep in his stomach. He collapsed on the ground with a pain-filled growl and Elena stood over him, looking around in confusion.

There, running towards them, crossbow at the ready was Alaric. "Elena! Get away from him!"

"Ric!? What are you doing?"

As he reached them, he pushed Elena back, shielding her body from Damon. "He's a vampire!"

"I know!" she screamed back, pushing him off her. She ran to Damon and bent down, pulling the arrow from his stomach. Blood poured from the wound, coating her fingers and staining his shirt.

"And yet you consort with him? He's a monster, Elena!"

Elena shook her head and stood to meet Alaric's eyes. "You don't know a _thing_ about him!"

In a flash, Damon was between them, pining Alaric against a nearby tree. "Next time, aim for the heart." Without warning, he bent his head down and ravaged his neck as fearful screams tore from Elena's throat.

"Damon! Stop! Stop it, Damon!" She ran towards Damon and tugged at him in an effort to save the only man who had ever treated her aunt right. But Damon was having none of it, he pushed her away, causing her to fall to the ground and scrape her leg. Tears were spilling from her eyes as she looked towards the man she had convinced herself she loved, with disgust. This was the monster that haunted her dreams, the villain that tore her from her family. "Stop it, Damon!"

Suddenly, Damon stopped and turned towards her. Remorse filled his eyes as he took in her state. He flashed towards her just as Alaric's body slumped to the ground and tried to reach towards her leg only for her to slap his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed as she stared at the blood coating his lips. _Alaric's blood_.

"Elena, please. I-I didn't mean to. I thought you were… I thought…"

"No! That's the problem! You didn't think! He's my family, Damon! And you're… you're a monster."

Damon stood instantly, staring down at her as a war raged within his mind. Damon turned towards the unmoving body and bit into his own wrist before lifting it up and placing it on Ric's slacked jaw. The blood pooled into Alaric's mouth, giving him strength and soon enough he was pulling away from him. Damon looked into his eyes. "You will forget all this and drive straight home, text your girlfriend that you weren't feeling good and burn the clothes you're wearing. When you wake up in the morning, you'll have all the side-effects of a hangover."

Rick blinked and began to slowly walk down the driveway to his car. Elena could only watch on in fear of what Damon would do to her. There was no fighting what he just did and it made her wary of his approach. She stood instantly, making sure to keep the weight off her hurt leg.

"Are you going to make me forget, too?" she challenged.

"No."

Elena crossed her arms. "Then what? Just do it and get it over with!"

"I release you," Damon replied in a monotone voice. "You are no longer my prisoner."

In amazement, Elena responded, "I'm… free?"

"Yes." He stepped towards her, standing above her. "There's just one thing."

Elena felt a sort of eerie calm take over her as she met Damon's eyes. She felt herself in a trance and that was when everything became hazy. She felt herself reaction to what Damon was saying but for some reason the memory of it just wouldn't stick. Before she could plead with him to repeat himself, to stop whatever trick he was doing to her, he was gone and she was left with a feeling of deep sorrow and guilt for the vampire.

It still didn't change the side of him she witnessed tonight. She thought herself foolish for thinking she could ever love such a beast.

The problem was, despite it all, _she did._


	5. The Hunter

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N: Short update to push along the story. It's mostly dialogue since the characters were very chapter and left no room for reflection. There's probably only going to be a one or two chapters left until this is all over. This was never meant to be a long multi-chapter'd journey. Just me having a little fun implementing Elena and Damon into a Disney movie. Enjoy! xx**

* * *

><p>Stefan entered the master bedroom to find it unlit and shrouded in darkness. The only light danced its way in from the balcony but was blocked by the body of his uncle. Damon leaned over the railing, his hands gripping hold of the stone and causing it to mold into dust. Warily he entered, afraid of which side of the vampire he would come across tonight. "How did the pageant go?"<p>

Quietly, Damon responded, "I let her go."

"You did what?" Stefan gasped. "But everything was going so perfect."

"I had to. I attacked her uncle."

"But- But you could've explained. I'm certain she would've understood. She knows what you are. She was the—"

Damon shook his head. "She sees me for what I truly am now. A monster."

"Sir, I implore you to see reason."

"No, I've accepted our fate." His shoulders sagged. "I let her go because I love her too much to submit her to what I am. She's better off without me."

Stefan stepped forward. "Did you tell her all this? I'm certain she would—"

"I confessed everything to her… not that she'll remember."

"You made her forget?!"

"I had no choice. She needs to move on from this. Experience human things." Damon strolled towards the rose and watched as a petal drifted down as it broke free. "It's hopeless."

Stefan wanted to comfort him, to show him just how much this curse and Elena's presence had made him good, but he could tell the conversation was over. Damon wanted to wallow in his flaws and that was something his nephew just didn't want to witness. With a quiet nod, he turned and exited the room, mulling over his uncle's words to try and find a solution. As he stepped onto the main floors landing, he found Bonnie dusting some of the statues.

"She's gone," he stated, causing her to turn towards him. "He was so close and he just let her go."

Bonnie seemed pensive. "After all this time, he finally learned to love."

"If only that was enough."

"We'll never know if she loved him back. It's too late."

Stefan shook his head, determination igniting his eyes. "No. It's not too late. I'm going to find her and bring her back."

* * *

><p>"Miss Gilbert?"<p>

Elena snapped out her daydream and looked up to find Mrs. Flowers standing over her. Sheepishly, she answered, "Sorry."

"I understand that getting back into the swing of things is going to be difficult but you won't be wasting my time just because of your poor choices. Now answer the question."

"What was it again?" Elena mentally cringed.

Mrs. Flowers sighed. "What cultural attitudes or way of life do Ashley and Rhett embody?"

Elena looked down at her notes and found repeated scribbles of fierce, hypnotizing eyes. Quickly she covered up the page and looked up at her teacher. "I haven't had the chance to finish the book."

With a frown on her face, the teacher continued down the aisle. "I'm very disappointed in you, Miss Gilbert." When she reached the front of the room, she addressed the class. "Is there anyone here who had finished?" A hand shot up at Elena's left. "Ah, yes, Miss Young."

Running her fingers through her hair, Elena breathed out all of her frustration. It was difficult getting back into the swing of things, trying to pretend like the past few weeks hadn't happened. It was even worse when her father remembered the whole ordeal differently than she did. Damon had said that he messed with her father's mind, but she had never realized to what extent. He seemed less stressed and more carefree at home. He wasn't spending all his hours at his shop building things.

All Elena could focus on was the man she had left bruised and bleeding and how very different he was from the man she encountered at the dance and now. It was as if the whole thing never happened and she supposed that was exactly how Damon wanted it.

_Damon._

Just the thought of him brought up unexplained emotions. She should be afraid, scared, anything but the feelings of extreme fondness for the man that had attacked her soon-to-be uncle. If she was being honest it was more than a fondness, but she wasn't ready to cope with that just yet. Not when common sense told her to feel the exact opposite.

The school bell rang and she gathered her things in a rush. She pushed past her classmates and bee lined for her car. Numerous people called after her but she didn't listen. She needed to get out here. She almost did if not for the person leaning against her car in the parking lot.

"Stefan? What are you doing here?"

* * *

><p>Two hot cups of coffee sat on the table with an array of treats set besides them. Elena and Stefan seemed to be having a staring contest as they each waited for the other to talk. Despite Elena's numerous questions on the ride to her house, Stefan had remained quiet. That silence had only continued as she went about brewing a pot of coffee and gathered up some of her favorite snacks for them to pick on. It was beginning to get on her nerves.<p>

"Are you going to say anything or have you taken a vow of silence since you showed up at my school?"

Stefan chuckled. "You and Damon are more alike than you care to admit."

At the mention of Damon's name, Elena felt her heart clench up. Her body was on edge and the overwhelming need to see him, talk to him, hear how he was doing took precedence over everything, even her need to breathe. Relaxing, she took a deep breath and asked, "Is that why you're here? Did Damon send you?"

"No. He doesn't even know I left the boarding house."

"Stefan, what's going on?"

Stefan looked down at his coffee. The endless black seemed to give him the courage to answer. "You have to come back."

"Does Damon want me back?"

"Yes. He just won't admit it."

"Stefan…"

Stefan reached out grabbed hold of her hand. "He doesn't think you could accept him the way he is. He thinks you can't get past his curse. That'll never accept him."

"And she shouldn't."

Stefan and Elena turned to see Alaric standing in the doorway aiming a crossbow at Stefan. They were both on their feet instantly, Stefan shielding Elena with his body even though she wasn't the one in danger. There was a menacing look about the man she considered family as he wielded his weapon. Gone was his sweet disposition that she had long been used to. The man before her was the vampire hunter that had shown himself at Miss Mystic Falls.

"He's dangerous," Alaric continued. "She shouldn't be anywhere near him."

"You're wrong. He wouldn't hurt me."

Alaric cocked his head. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you had feelings for the beast."

"He's not a monster," Elena replied.

"Ha!" Alaric laughed, low and menacing. "So, it's true. You do _love_ him. Do you know he loves you, too? No? Didn't think so since he poured his heart out to you and compelled you to forget. If only your mother could see this side of you. She'd be ashamed."

"Wait," Elena began. "How did you know about that? He made you leave."

Alaric stepped closer, keeping his weapon trained on Stefan's heart. "I wear vervain. It stops them from getting inside our heads." He released the safety on the gun. "Now, I have a vampire to off." Without hesitating, he sent an arrow straight into Stefan's heart. Stefan fell to the floor and Elena was forced to cradle him on her lap. By the time she looked up, Alaric was gone.

"Elena…" Stefan croaked. "Pull… out the… arrow."

Steeling herself, she grabbed hold of the arrow and pulled with all her might. It came out coated in Stefan's blood. "How are you… alive?"

"I'm immortal, Elena. Everyone at the boarding house is. Our immortality is tied to Damon's. It's part of the curse."

"The curse? I thought he was just a vampire. There's an actual curse on everyone."

Stefan sighed as he stood, pulling Elena up with him. "As much as I'd love to explain, Damon's life is in danger."

"This is all my fault," Elena cried as she let Stefan pull her towards her car.

"No. But you're the only one who can stop it."

Elena looked up at him, confused. "How?"


	6. New Life

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updating. Hurricane Sandy hit my area and I was without power for 10 days. Thankfully everyone is alright but my heart and prayers go out to those who suffered worse than I did. **

**Now that I have power back, I can tell you that this is the last full chapter of TAOAT. We only have the epilogue until we're done. Enjoy! xx**

* * *

><p>The petal slowly fell down on the marble. It made no noise. Nothing about the world changed and yet Damon could feel the little hope he had built up dwindle away. His eyes drifted upwards and took note of the final petal that rested on the once fully bloomed rose. His time was almost up. In what was sure to be a few short hours, he would be forever trapped inside the body of a blood-thirsty monster. Elena would be far off in Mystic Falls falling for some quarter back and living a normal human life—a life he had hoped he could have with her.<p>

He heard the sound of his bedroom door creaking open and didn't even bother to turn around as Bonnie's familiar smell of lemon and pine wafted in the air. Damon didn't have the strength to face her, to let her see the desolation on his face. They had depended on him. They had relied on Damon to find a woman who would set them all free and here he had let her go.

He didn't have a choice, Damon reminded himself. He saw her face as he attacked the hunter, saw the horror that widened her eyes and quickened her heart. All the hardwork that he had put in to letting his guard down and allowing Elena inside all went to waste in that one moment. Damon had no other choice but to pour his heart and then rid himself from her world forever.

Of course, Elena would have no memory of his desperate, foolish confession of love.

And he liked it that way.

At least now, he could live in the world of "what if's" rather than deal with the rejection she would surely deliver.

Damon was so caught out in his internal destruction that he hadn't noticed Bonnie was now at his side. "Pardon me, Master." Her voice was barely a whisper in the dimly lit room and yet her voice echoed.

"Leave me," Damon mumbled, his eyes still staring at the glow coming from the stem and lonely petal.

Bonnie went to reach out to comfort him but seemed to think better of it and instead placed her worn hands on the marble edge. "But, sir, the hunter. He's on his way." Damon remained quiet, causing her to continue on. "Whatever shall we do, sir?"

The petal began to waiver on its hold to the bud. In a desolate voice, Damon responded, "Just let him come."

She went to say more but the sound of footsteps approaching echoed in the silence. With a frown, Bonnie crept out the doorway with only one last fleeting glance at the once uncaring vampire. A week smile pulled at her lips at the thought that he had truly found a love that warmed his icy insides, but it faded all to quickly as the sharp, cruel stab of an arrow pierced her heart. It was because of his selflessness that they were in this situation and she welcomed the momentary death with the knowledge that either way it would all be over soon.

* * *

><p>Stefan's roadster raced down the narrow path that led to the boarding house. Elena's hands gripped the dashboard and she longed for the car to somehow drive faster. The moment Alaric had disappeared, she could only think of the worst. What if she arrived too late? What if all of these cryptic stories of Damon being in love with her were only fallacies? Why the hell wasn't Stefan driving any faster?<p>

"Hurry, Stefan," Elena urged, keeping her eyes ahead of her and waiting for the moment when the castle would appear.

The car jolted with speed as Stefan pushed harder on the pedal. "I'm driving as fast as I can, Elena."

Her lip slipped between her teeth as the gates appeared. Stefan barreled through them pushing them aside without hesitation. The car came to a stop and Elena pushed open the door, running towards the large ornate front doors. Stefan was on her tail as they entered the building to see Bonnie coming down the stairs with blood coating her uniform.

Elena feared the worse. "Bonnie…"

Bonnie shook her head. "Not yet."

"Yet?" Elena exclaimed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means he's given up and the hunter and Damon are fighting on the roof. Fighting would be a loose term seeing how he's barely fighting back." She turned towards Stefan and placed an arm on his shoulder. "It's over for us."

Elena refused to accept to defeat. "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

Not willing to wait for an answer, she pushed past Bonnie and took the stairs two at a time. She didn't stop running until she reached what had once been the forbidden western wing. Elena pushed open the door and was met with the howling wind coming from the shattered window in front of her. Her feet carried her towards it as rain started to pelt from the sky. She leaned out of it and looked around searching for any sign of her soon-to-be uncle and the vampire that had pushed her aside.

A loud crash sounded above her and as carefully as she could Elena stepped outside and tried not to fall to her death. Using the ledge as support, she maneuvered herself onto the roof. When she stood, the sight before her shocked her to her very core. Damon lay on the ground, blood pouring from his wounds, as Alaric stood over him with a stake poised in his hand.

"No!" Elena screamed, causing both men to turn in her direction. She saw as Damon's face lit up and he mouthed her name. It was the complete opposite of the angered face of Alaric as she took in her frantic state. "Alaric don't!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Elena? Stay away from vampires!"

She stepped forward but stopped as she saw Alaric grip his stake tighter. Her hands were in front of her in a sign that showed no aggression. "He's different. He's good."

"There's no such thing."

A tear made its way down her cheek, mixing with the rain. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you need me. Because you're an eighteen year old girl with a crazy ole inventor for a father who's too caught up in his own world to educate his only daughter about right and wrong. Do you think your mother would be proud of you for consorting with the likes of him?"

"You don't know a thing about her."

"I know enough and that's why I have to do this."

"You don't. Let me… let me help him!"

Alaric laughed. "You can't help him, Elena! He's damned!"

She was shaking her head, taking cautious steps toward them and keeping her eyes on Damon's hopeful eyes. His wounds were healing and he seemed to be regaining his strength. All she had to do was stall Alaric enough to reason with both of them. "He's not damned. He's cursed."

"There's no difference."

"Didn't you see the rose? The floating rose in his bedroom? That's his humanity. When the last petal falls he'll be trapped like this. You don't have to kill him if you let me save him."

Damon's eyebrows furrowed at this. He was probably wondering how she knew so much and cursing Stefan to the deepest depths of Hell. Alaric was oblivious to all of this. "That doesn't change what he's done. He still killed people. Innocent people."

"He doesn't deserve this. Please," she pleaded, and she could hear the desperation in her voice,  
>"don't hurt him." She couldn't imagine a world where Damon didn't exist. For the first time since he mother's death her life had a purpose again. She had hopes and dreams and found herself looking forward instead of back. Damon brought that out of her and the thought of him not existing was enough to tear apart what little hold she had on her sanity.<p>

Could it really be possible? After a few short weeks, had the bond between her and Damon really go that deep?

Alaric stood and kicked Damon hard in his gut. Elena cringed at the side and restrained herself from running to his aid. "I'm going to give you one last chance, Elena. Either you kill him or I will."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

He was already stepping towards her and pulling her towards where Damon lay. Elena's heart was clenched tight in agony over the sight of Damon. She had always saw him as strong and invincible and to see him weak was enough to break her.

"Drive this stake into his heart," Alaric ordered, placing the wooden object in her hand. He turned her body so that she was facing Damon. He eyes closed as he seemed to accept his fate willingly. His body lay still, refusing to fight against Elena.

The thought of killing Damon never even crossed her mind. How could he think that way of her after everything? No. When Alaric placed the weapon in her hand, only one thought possessed her and shocked her. It was very unlike her but ever since meeting Damon she had done a lot of things she never expected. Like falling in love with a vampire.

With a deep breath, she wheeled around and drove the stake deep into Alaric's stomach. Damon jumped up and pushed him against the chimney in a flash. His voice was low and menacing as Alaric continued to clutch at the stake his future niece had wounded him with. Elena felt the guilt well up inside her as Damon spoke. "You will leave this place at once and never come back. It's for her sake that I'm leaving you breathing right now."

Damon pushed off him and Alaric slumped to the floor in a heap. Elena watched as he turned towards her and couldn't help but race towards him and wrap her arms tight around him. He was alive. He was going to survive this. And it was those thoughts that made her the happiest girl in the world.

"You came back," he mumbled against her hair as his arms embraced her.

"Of course I did," she whispered into his chest, letting him fill her up. "Why would you compel me to leave?"

Damon was quiet for a moment. Finally he said, "It's better that way."

"No, it's not. If he had… if I was too late… Oh this is all my fault."

To her surprise, he laughed. Elena pulled back and stared at him with incredulous eyes. "I'm the one who nearly killed your uncle and you're the one apologizing? This is no one's fault but my own. I should've just been brave enough to tell you I love you without worrying about your response. All that's important is that you know how much you changed it. How much you saved me, Elena."

"Don't talk in finalities, Damon." Elena found herself smiling, despite the falling rain, the scene that had just occurred, and the fact that her uncle was still lying down with a serious wound in his stomach. "Everything's going to be fine. You'll see. We're together now."

The smile that lit up Damon's face was enough to push aside the cloudy skies and brighten up the world with sunshine. She stared at that smile wanting to say more, wanting to confess her deepest thoughts when suddenly that smile became a grimace of pain as Damon's body froze tight. Her eyes looked over his shoulder where Alaric stood. All the pieces seemed to fall together as he collapsed on her as she caught the sight of the stake pushed up towards his heart.

"No! No!" she cried. "Please! Please! Don't you leave me, too!"

With all her strength she pulled out the stake and rolled him on his back, watching as his skin color slowly grayed. Tears streamed down her face in full force as she watched the light drain from those hypnotic blue eyes. Her hands reached up to cradle his face as the gray slowly crept up his neck.

"I love you," she cried in honesty.

In the distance, Bonnie and Stefan stood in the master bedroom and watched as the last petal fell. Light drained from the now dead flower and Bonnie cried into Stefan's shoulder. They heard Elena's tear-filled confession and new it was all over. Carefully, they made their way onto the roof and took in the sight of Alaric's proud face and Elena sobbing helplessly over Damon's still body.

Stefan walked towards Elena and lifted her from Damon's body. She continued to sob into his chest as Bonnie stepped forward. "It's funny how appearances can be deceiving." Elena turned towards the woman, curious about her words. It was when their eyes met that she saw how Bonnie seemed to be changing. Her unkempt appearance and dress cleaned up and changed into a rich green robe and dress. Her hair was set in long ebony curls. In her hand was a skinny wand and if Elena hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would've sworn Bonnie had a twin. A more regal, elegant twin.

"B-Bonnie?" Elena shuddered.

"People often wonder what is more important: loving someone or feeling that love in return. They don't realize the impossibilities of such a thought for both are equally great. Wouldn't you agree, Elena?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Bonnie, what's going on?"

Bonnie began to walk around the ground and even though the rain fell upon her it left no wet spots on her clothing or no frizz in her perfect curls. "I've waited many years for you, Elena. We all have. Earlier you told Alaric of a curse. Were you made aware of what the curse needed to be broken?"

Elena shook her head. "Stefan didn't get into specifics. Just that I was the key."

"That was very smart of him. You needed to come to your realization on your own or the decision would be void."

It was Stefan's turn to be confused. "What is going on, Bonnie? Why are you dressed like that?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't remember me. You weren't there that night. Damon had you cleaning up the mess he had made after destroying all the presents he didn't want." She met his eyes and her brown eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. "I'm the very enchantress who cursed this household."

"You've been watching?" he exclaimed.

Bonnie nodded. "I needed to see the change for myself. It is not enough to just be loved. He had to open up his heart to her as well."

"What does that mean?" Elena asked.

"To break the spell he needed to fall for someone and she needed to return that love." Bonnie smiled, "And I have never seen a connection between two people become so strong. In my world, we call it twin-flames. You two are bounded together."

The tears began to fall again. "Then why is he dead?"

"Oh, sweetie," Bonnie cooed. "He isn't dead. He's in transition. Notice how his skin is becoming more like your own."

Elena looked back towards Damon and saw the gray slowly drifting off his body. His skin was tan and rosy as if he had spent his summers on the beach. The idea of Damon in swim trunks as he clutched a surf board didn't seem to fit in her heard but then she recalled Damon's stories of the boarding house and how he loved to help in the fields despite his father's disapproval. He really was becoming human.

"But I was too late."

"On the contrary," Bonnie pointed out. "Your confession came just seconds before the last petal fell and right before the stake truly stopped his heart. Perfect timing, my dear."

As Bonnie spoke, Elena found herself drifting towards Damon. She knelt down and placed her hand upon his chest and felt his heart beating strong against his chest. A smile lifted her cheeks. He truly wasn't dead. She watched on as the gray disappeared completely and looked up at his closed eyes, waiting until she could finally see the radiant blue or his irises.

"It won't be much longer," Bonnie promised. She turned towards Alaric who still stood watching with confusion. "Don't think we forgot about you, hunter. I suppose once Damon is human again, you can end this feud? You two are about even, wouldn't you say?"

Alaric nodded, dumbly.

"Your heart was in the right place. One must always protect his family. All I must ask of you is to help Damon acclimate to human life again. It has been a century for him. Do you promise?"

"As long as Elena is safe." He casted a quick look at his niece.

Bonnie smiled. "She will be. Damon will protect her and he will help you become an even greater hunter than you already are. He does have a unique viewpoint."

"Then I promise."

"Thank you." Bonnie turned to address everyone. "My job here is done. Hopefully, I will not be needed again." With a wave of her hand, she disappeared leaving just the breeze to remember her by.

A few short seconds past as Alaric, Stefan, and Elena waited. Then, without warning, Damon's eyes burst open as he took a large intake of breath and jolted awake. Elena jumped back in shock, crawling backwards towards Stefan as Damon studied himself. His hands reached out and he took in the color of his skin. With slow precision, he moved his hand over his heart and he felt the strong beating of his human heart, unlike the slow, sluggish thrum that pumped blood through his system. Finally, he reached up to his teeth, feeling his incisors and taking note of their bluntness. With a smile he looked around and zeroed in on Elena who eyes him mysteriously as if she didn't trust her own vision.

"Elena, it's me."

She continued to look at him, skeptically until she reached his blue eyes. They were just as she remembered, deep and endless and capable of drowning her. Carefully, she crawled towards him. Her hands held his face as she stared at his face, letting the familiarity overwhelm her. He was alive!

In an astonished voice, she spoke, "It is you!"

"And you love me?" he whispered.

Elena smiled. "I do."

"I love you, too."

He wasted no time before pulling her close and kissing her with everything he had. He poured his heart and soul into her and she did the same. They were like two flames that burned and merged into one and as the wind swept around them they ignited the now clear sky with fireworks. Magic surrounded them and they knew once and for all that the curse had been broken and Damon, Stefan and all the servants were free of immortality.

Somehow Elena had pulled him from the darkness and given him new life.

Now it was time to start living it.


	7. Happily Ever After

**Title: **Tale As Old As Time

**Summary:** For who could ever learn to love a beast? Damon Salvatore takes a young girl as his prisoner in exchange for her father's safety. But, the vampire has a secret he's hidden for years… will she be the one to break it? Will they even want to? A classic supernatural telling of a familiar fairytale.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

* * *

><p>Staring at the clock seemed to make time move slower. Five more minutes. How was she supposed to last that long? Elena's foot tapped anxiously against her desk as the teacher droned on about some book she had already read a million times. Anticipation for this class to end was all that filled up her tightly wound frame. She was over school. Over normalcy. What she wanted more than anything right now was the school bell to ring so she could find out what awaited her outside.<p>

One more minute.

Some of the other students had started to slowly gather their things in that sneaky way that every teacher noticed. Neither side commented but it was an unsaid rule that with a minute to go, students were allowed to clean up. While her other students were excited just for the weekend, Elena had reasons all her own. There was someone waiting for her and after the adventure the two of them had been on even the importance of school got in the way.

Finally the school bell rang, and Elena who had packed up all her things already dashed out of the room. She made a quick stop at her locker to switch out some book and gather up what she needed for homework and slammed the door shut. Pushing her way through the throng of students, she made her way out the front doors and searched for the familiar blue Camaro.

The crowds seemed to part just as her eyes looked forward and there it was with its owner leaning against it dressed head to toe in his trademark black. Her feet couldn't move fast enough as she practically sprinted towards him. What seemed like an eternity passed before she was finally in the safety of his warm, human arms. Her ear rested over where his human heart pounded against his chest knocking the truth in just a little further.

Damon hadn't taken to humanity as quickly as he would've liked. It was hard for him to remember simple things like breathing and eating three meals a day. The fact that he wasn't as indestructible as he once had been had struck home when he had scraped his knee playing baseball in his backyard with Stefan. The wound didn't hell as quickly as his vampire body would've and Stefan could've sworn he saw his uncle scowl at his human frailty.

"How was school?" Damon asked.

Elena groaned. "Painfully boring."

He chuckled. "So was my afternoon. It's not fun helping Stefan organize the pantry."

The freeing laugh that escaped Elena's mouth was enough to turn the frown that grazed Damon's face to become a smile. He squeezed her a little tighter and moved to open the door to his car. With a smile of her own, Elena took her seat in the car and repositioned her books on to the floor. By the time she was done, Damon was seated beside her. He started the car, letting it come to life with the light purr of his engine.

Then she felt the feather light touch of his finger against her cheek as he traced an imaginary line to her lips. Shivers raced along her spine as his finger came into contact with her soft lips. He pulled at her bottom lip and Elena was in such a trance that all she could do was remain still. When he removed his fingers from her skin, she turned slowly towards him and let her eyes fall upon the beauty of his face.

He was no less handsome then the inhuman monster he had been a few months ago. His bright blue eyes still stared at her with a burning intensity; his face was still structured with a strong jawline and smile lines. The beauty of his face had always been him not the vampire he had transitioned into. As was the beauty within his heart that had made her fall for him so. The kindness of his heart that he hid under thick sarcasm and a brutal attitude was front and center in his second chance at life. Though the sarcasm and quick wit still remained, not that Elena minded.

Together they leaned forward and kissed. Her hand lifted to hold him to her and make the kiss last longer. Damon's fingers danced along her bare thigh causing Elena to smile against his lips. They continued to make-out in the busy school parking lot before a car horn reminded them of their surroundings. Elena looked over her shoulder where two seniors had nearly caused an accident and breathed out a shaky breath. "Can we get out of here?"

Damon nodded vehemently. "Fuck yes."

He put the car in reverse and made his way out of the high school parking lot. With her hand in his, he sped down the winding roads and highways that led to his home. Elena stared out the window watching the blossoming trees and deep green leaves that passed by. The radio played some soft rock as Damon questioned her about her day. She only had short answers for him because, in all honesty, she hadn't been paying much attention.

Laughter burst from Damon at that as he began to question her about all the dirty daydreams that had been playing out for her all day. Elena kept her lips zipped, refusing to divulge even one tantalizing detail. When it became too much she merely ran her finger along his jawline and whispered, "Maybe I'll try them out for you when we get home."

It was no secret that she often thought of the boarding house as home. Sure, she still spent night in her own bed (her father wasn't _that_ approving of their relationship to be okay with sleepovers), but her afternoons were spent lounging around the boarding house wrapped up in Damon's arms. He taught her to make his mother's famous sauce and she taught him how to Cha-Cha-Slide.

They were happy and— after everything— they deserved it.

When Damon finally pulled up the house, they both exited the car and raced inside; fast becoming a tangled web of limbs as they frantically kissed and walked their way up the stairs. As they stepped into Damon's bedroom, clothes no longer became a necessity and were quickly forming a pile on the rug. They tumbled onto the bed, grasping one another and refusing to break their kiss. Hands roamed bodies and lips pressed into skin as they rolled around, not in any rush for this mess of feelings to end.

Elena straddled Damon's and ground herself against him as his hand gripped her hips and pushed himself deeper inside her with each thrust. Her hands clawed at his flawless chest, leaving bright red marks that faded just as quickly as they formed. When the feeling became too much he sat up, holding her to him and not breaking their rhythm. With her hands buried deep in his hair, she crashed her lips to his, sucking on his tongue and biting at his bottom lip.

It was rough and needy. Both of them too caught up in the other to care about the loud moans coming from Elena's throat or how Damon grunted with each upward thrust. By now, the house would be filled with its workers who knew all too well what was happening in the master suite. It was about the time Stefan put up volume on the downstairs radio and the couple found a beat to move their bodies to.

Eventually, when the need became too great they couple climax together. Their bodies fell back onto the comfortable bed Damon had custom ordered years before. Both of their chests heaved with the frantic intakes of breath as their hearts tried to slow down and find its normal pace. Damon's hand lovingly stroked her arm as Elena lazily kissed his neck.

As Damon sighed contentedly, Elena relaxed into the comfort of his arms. The blanket was wrapped around their sweaty bodies as the cool air from the open window blew against their skin. "Was that what you were daydreaming about all day?" Damon smirked.

"The real thing was even better."

For a while they just enjoyed the moment. The chirping of birds in the distance, the muffled sound of the radio downstairs. They took a moment to relax before getting dressed. Together they wandered on to the small balcony that over locked the grounds. Damon settled into the chair outside and Elena sat upon his lap. His arms wrapped around her as they looked out.

"Do you ever wish I had been late in telling you I loved you?" Elena pondered.

"That I died?" Damon balked, his eyebrows shooting up in horror.

Elena narrowed her eyes. "You know what I meant."

Damon nodded. "You mean if I had been stuck a vampire and you a fragile human?"

"Yeah." She turned towards him. "Do you think our life would be any different?"

A few seconds passed as Damon thought of his answer. "No. We still would find ourselves in the exact same place we are now."

With a smile, Elena responded, "I was thinking the same thing."

"I have a question." Elena tilted her head and he continued. "If I had remained a vampire, would you have turned for me?"

She thought about it for a moment. Everything had happened so sudden that she never thought about whether or not she would've became immortal for her beloved. It seemed a natural question to ask. Their lives could be a lot different and their connection all the more eternal. Even after everything they had been through and the amount of the love they shared, it still would eventually come to end. Their story and love may be forever but they wouldn't.

When she thought of her love for him and the depth of emotion that welled up inside her at just the thought, the answer seemed obvious. "Yes."

"You would've damned yourself to become what I was?"

Elena nodded. "I never thought you were damned, Damon. Even when Alaric kept trying to convince me; I didn't believe it for a second. I would've turned because I love you. Because I want to spend forever with you even if held such a literal meaning."

"I don't deserve you," he breathed, his hands cupping her face.

"You deserve all of me, Damon." She leaned forward and kissed him. "Always." His kiss was lazy and she couldn't feel the same emotion behind it. Shaking her head, she hopped of his lap and walked towards her book bag. She pulled out her diary that he had given her as a means of escape and placed it on his lap. He looked at her confused before she opened it up to a page and pushed it towards him. "Read and maybe you'll understand."

Reluctantly, he brought his eyes towards the pages and read her written thoughts. He poured over them, consumed by the way she slowly began to open up to him and understand him all the more. She wrote of the way he didn't see himself clearly and of all the beauty within. A smile began to cross his face as she began to debate over whether or not she was truly falling in love with him and grew full force when she finally admitted that there could be no other explanation. She loved him; mind, body, and soul.

Damon pulled her down to his lap. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you, too, Damon." She kissed him. "Forever."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Would it be too cheesy if I said "And they lived happily ever after"? Ah, well, it's supposed to be a fairytale so it applies! Hope you enjoyed this journey. It turned out a little shorter than I originally hoped but with everything that happened, lengthening the story would just be unfair to all of you. Thank you for the response this story received. It meant more than you know! xx**


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